Sustainable Development with the Climatic Change: Issues, Concerns and the way Ahead

There has been a heightened awareness of pervasive, accelerating and unabated environmental changes, the potential economic value of rapidly depleting finite resources, and their attendant implications for sustainable development across the countries. On the basis of a critical examination of environmental preservation, uncertainty and irreversibility, the paper makes a compelling case, for an accent on renewable energy- an accent appropriate in scale and magnitude. Since sustainable development has implications for life, biodiversity, climate variability, environmental sustainability, inter-generational and distributive equity, the paper stresses the need for the formulation of an effective strategy, for environment-friendly development, through common effluent treatment plants, cleaner production technologies and environmental concerns in services, acquisition of ISO 14000, real participatory action-research, etc. In view of the success of local experiments, incentive measures, community enterprises and popular participation, these aspects of the energy discourse need to be replicated on a much wider level, by adopting a holistic approach comprising transforming institutions, growth and quality of life. There is a manifest need to improve access to renewable, reliable and affordable energy services, promote sustainable use of biomass, and support the transition to cleaner use of fossil fuels. This would constitute the basis for long-term economic development, in a true and meaningful sense. Accordingly, a proposed approach to action-oriented, time-bound outcomes underscores the need for facilitating the transfer of energy technologies, enabling policy environments and creating conditions for greater private sector involvement and setting up of proper appraisal mechanisms. There has to an accent, on interactive and mutually reinforcing strategies, such as, strengthening the institutional capacity, public-private partnerships and synchronized relationship between government agencies, UN bodies, business and industry, non-governmental organizations and academia to reduce ubiquitous risks. The survival of species and eco-system services requires making the pursuit of sustainable development a credo, by designing both appropriate energy programs and appropriate energy delivery systems. Towards this end, there has to be enabling policy and operational frameworks comprising cleaner use of fossil fuels, improved use of traditional biomass, sustainable transport, biomass and systems approach, international, national and regional cooperation, gender issues and commitment to concrete measures, with a sequence and well-defined timeline. Policies and programs at both national and global levels must reflect the inextricable connection between socioeconomic and environmental objectives In the absence of integrated policies and programs with inter-institutional linkages, the outcome would be “the worst of all possible worlds” for the citizens of the world, whose tragedy is “awesome” because of “the integral and interdependent nature of the Earth, our home”.